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Mike Washo and Corey O'Brien want another four years at the helm of Lackawanna County government.

The Democratic majority commissioners confirmed Wednesday they will seek re-election in 2011, running as a team on what they described as a record of fiscal responsibility and unprecedented transparency in the operation of county government.

"We think we have done a pretty good job in difficult times, and we are going to ask voters to give us another term," Mr. O'Brien said. "We will leave it in the voters' hands."

Although Mr. Washo made no secret in recent months of his intention to run again, Mr. O'Brien had been noncommittal.

Mr. O'Brien said he reached his decision over the past few days after consulting with family members, including his wife, Missy. The couple has three young children, and the job of commissioner requires a "significant commitment," he said.

"We sat down and thought long and hard about it."

Mr. Washo and Mr. O'Brien were elected the majority commissioners in 2007, ending the four-year Republican administration of Robert C. Cordaro and A.J. Munchak. Mr. Munchak, who was elected minority commissioner, said earlier this month he will not run again.

Mr. Washo said he and Mr. O'Brien have a record that people can judge in terms of fiscal restraint, including reducing the county workforce by more than 30 percent.

Mr. O'Brien said county expenditures have been reduced by $17 million annually during their administration, while more than $6 million has been invested using landfill trust money and other non-county funding in expanded parks and recreational opportunities.

"When other governments were flailing and raised taxes, we didn't," Mr. O'Brien said.

The commissioners also cited the pending sale of the Triple-A baseball franchise as part of a deal that will result in more than $60 million in investments by the state and SWB Yankees LLC while ensuring the continued presence of professional baseball in Northeast Pennsylvania for at least 30 years.

Mr. Washo said while he and Mr. O'Brien took heat for their selection of the county's optical-scan voting system, which some critics saw as a step back technologically, it is now regarded as a "wise choice" because it provides verifiable election results.

"We know that was the right decision," he said. "What's more important than a person's vote?"

He said other accomplishments may be less obvious to voters, such as the new hiring process he and Mr. O'Brien instituted. For the first time, directors and deputy directors are in charge of filling vacancies within their departments.

"That is just a whole new direction for county government. ... It's the most open system the county has ever seen," Mr. Washo said.

Mr. O'Brien said while he is focused on winning a new term as commissioner in 2011, he would not rule out another run for Congress in 2012.

The commissioner unsuccessfully challenged 13-term U.S. Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski in the Democratic primary last May. Mr. Kanjorski went on to lose to Republican Lou Barletta in November.

"It's way too early - one election at a time," Mr. O'Brien said. "I'm focused (on the commissioner race), but I'm not going to rule in or rule out running for any office in the future."

The first day candidates for commissioner and other offices can circulate and file nominating petitions for the primary election is Feb. 15. The primary will be May 17.

Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com

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